Lieca M Metering

[FiZZ]

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I know we have some M7/MP owners here. From my understanding, those meters are incident meters. My question is, how do you normally meter when taking pictures? Do you over/under expose? Do you work with the Zone system? How is it when you're mixing shade and direct light?

 

I have an M2, and so far since I got it, I'm guessing exposures to get my eyes used to it. I'm going to get batteries for my MR light meter. Haven't tried it so I don't know how accurate that is.

[earleygallery]

They're NOT incident meters. An incident meter is one which you point towards the light source. The meter in the M is a relective meter i.e. it reads the light reflected off the subject.

 

Have you read the M manual (you can download it from the Leica website) as it shows in detail how the M7/P 'fat spotmeter' works. It's quite different to the typical SLR average or multi point systems.

[FiZZ]

They're NOT incident meters. An incident meter is one which you point towards the light source. The meter in the M is a relective meter i.e. it reads the light reflected off the subject.

 

Have you read the M manual (you can download it from the Leica website) as it shows in detail how the M7/P 'fat spotmeter' works. It's quite different to the typical SLR average or multi point systems.

 

Thanks for the correction. That's what I meant sorry about the confusion. I'm asking on the reliability of the reflective meter.

 

As for the manuals, yes I have. I'm used to spot metering on my old Nikon FM2.

[alun]

For what it's worth (and as you mentioned the M7 specifically) I'll tell you what I do. I almost always over-expose, I'm guessing by a stop or more. If the light is behind me I meter from a mid-tone (grass, tarmac, whatever) and use this as the starting point. I also allow for glare from these metering sources (another reason I always tend towards a safe margin of over-exposure rather than risk the horrible muddiness and murk of under-exposed colour negs).

 

If the light is in front of me (i.e if I am walking into the sun or the strongest light source is in front of me) then I almost always use an incident reading from a handheld and transfer this to the camera.

 

Good as the M exposure system is I find it VERY easily fooled by metering INTO the light.

 

Of course in such circumstances you could meter into the light and then simply compensated according to your knowledget/judgement, but personally I find a handheld incident reading more reliable.

 

Oh, and generally speaking I also treat colour neg and B&W film the same and meter for the shadows.

[Xmas]

Do you work with the Zone system?

 

If you understand the zone system then the M6, M7 or MP can be used in that way, you may have to move to get closer, as he 'spot' on the 1st curtain is quite large, the MR meter acceptance is large as well, but also usable for zone metering.

 

There is a large premium for even a M6 Classic over an M2, nearly two beaten up M2 for one nice M6.

 

Noel

P.S. The MR meters normally need a service every five years or so

[Karreaux]

For what it's worth (and as you mentioned the M7 specifically) I'll tell you what I do. I almost always over-expose, I'm guessing by a stop or more. If the light is behind me I meter from a mid-tone (grass, tarmac, whatever) and use this as the starting point. I also allow for glare from these metering sources (another reason I always tend towards a safe margin of over-exposure rather than risk the horrible muddiness and murk of under-exposed colour negs).

 

If the light is in front of me (i.e if I am walking into the sun or the strongest light source is in front of me) then I almost always use an incident reading from a handheld and transfer this to the camera.

 

Good as the M exposure system is I find it VERY easily fooled by metering INTO the light.

 

Of course in such circumstances you could meter into the light and then simply compensated according to your knowledget/judgement, but personally I find a handheld incident reading more reliable.

 

Oh, and generally speaking I also treat colour neg and B&W film the same and meter for the shadows.

 

I could not agree more, front light is very tricky (M6 clasic)....